In Manchester United’s recent history of FA Cup exits and disappointments, this was in keeping with tradition.

Since the Reds last won the trophy by beating Millwall in the 2004 final, the famous competition has dealt them some cruel blows.

Twelve months after they last lifted the trophy at the Millennium Stadium, United outplayed Arsenal in Wales but heartbreakingly lost on penalties.

In 2006, United lost at Anfield and the tie was sadly remembered for Alan Smith’s horrific leg break.

The new Wembley hosted United in the 2007 final but an extra-time winner snatched it for Chelsea.

A year later and Portsmouth caused an Old Trafford upset by knocking the Reds out in the quarter-final, with a penalty winner scored past SOS keeper Rio Ferdinand in net!

In 2009, it was another penalty-shoot-out disaster against Everton in the semi-final at Wembley and 2010 saw an embarrassing flop against Leeds in the third round.

Then, last season, another Wembley visit saw the Reds lose a Manchester derby semi-final at Wembley to Yaya Toure’s goal.

It is a catalogue of drama and hurt and Saturday’s defeat fits like a glove into what the FA Cup has become for the competition’s record winners.

Having disposed of City in the epic third round tie, you might have thought that even if they were going to have to do it the hard way United had got their teeth into this tournament again and fortune might change.

But sadly it was not to be. Once again United had to endure a harsh failure. And anyone who believes the FA Cup no longer cuts it with the Reds should have witnessed the ashen-faced single file of players trooping out of Anfield.

They knew that at the very least we should now be planning for a re-run at Old Trafford, if not rejoicing in success on Merseyside.

The Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra race row had dominated the build-up to the match. Pleas for the fans to forget the issue and keep cool heads fell on deaf ears. Well, what did anyone seriously expect?

But at least the players listened to the pre-match requests not to inflame the tie.

This was not a blood-thirsty and wincing head-on clash but it was still good theatre.

But for two individual aberrations, the Kop would not be able to claim they’d damaged Manchester’s new status as the Capital of Football having knocked City out of the Carling Cup just days earlier.

United’s team sheet confirmed the extent of United’s casualty list, but many questioned whether throwing David de Gea back into the fray in a defence lacking Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones was a good idea.

The Spaniard had been United’s man of the match at Anfield in the league game but it seemed odd to rest Anders Lindegaard after four decent matches.

Although United overcame the injury pile-up comfortably, De Gea was a worrying bag of nerves in goal.

Back in October, the Spaniard didn’t have the awkward obstacle of Andy Carroll to deal with as the £35m striker was an unused sub in the league match.

But the big Geordie was an immovable object at the corner that saw Liverpool take the lead.

De Gea never got off the ground in his effort to clear the danger in the crowded six-yard area.

It is always tempting to think how Peter Schmeichel would have bulldozed his way through that ruck and those memories probably do De Gea no favours when you consider his inexperience and size in comparison to the Dane.

But that was the only way Daniel Agger was going to be stopped from opening the scoring and it was another harsh lesson for De Gea to learn as United fans wait and hope he develops a physique that will enable him to perform Schmeichel-like bullying.

Even if the keeper was now a panicky Achilles heel to the team, the rest of the side didn’t look rattled. Paul Scholes was performing an outstanding masterclass, Antonio Valencia must have been reviving memories of Steve Heighway for the Anfielders with his no-frills dangerous wing play and Rafael was a young man brilliantly possessed.

The Valencia-Rafael link, unsurprisingly, was the root of the Reds’ equaliser.

The Ecuadorian cutely back-flicked a ball down the right and the Brazilian pick-pocketed Luis Enrique and delivered a low ball for Ji-sung Park to drive in a crisp unstoppable shot.

But the Reds’ end product was lacking in the second half and it looked like going to a replay before Evra’s tough afternoon blew up in his face.

The skipper had admirably turned a deaf ear to the sick vitriol from parts of the crowd but his mind was elsewhere when Carroll flicked on Pepe Reina’s punt in the 88th minute and he was caught out of position by Dirk Kuyt’s dash.

The Dutchman added to De Gea’s misery with the winner and the Reds had to add another grim chapter to their recent FA Cup story.